Apparatus for enclosing a coin-operated pin ball machine or the like

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for enclosing a coin-operated pin ball machine including a rear wall closing off the rear wall of the machine and side walls closing off the side walls thereof. The machine is closed off at the front by a hinged top wall which overlaps a hinged bottom wall so that the top wall must be unlocked before access can be had to the bottom wall. The bottom wall includes suitable openings therein for providing access to the various operating controls of the machine. In this manner, the machine is completely enclosed and the enclosure therefore may be bolted to a supporting surface with the machine kept out-of-doors, if desired, with access to the controls readily available and vandalism thereof prevented.

United States Patent 91 Alldredge [451 Aug. 20, 1974 APPARATUS FOR ENCLOSING A COIN-OPERATED PIN BALL MACHINE OR THE LIKE [76] Inventor: Russell Herbert Alldredge, 171 Lighter Ct., Sacramento, Calif.

[22] Filed: June 11, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 368,947

[52] US. Cl 273/121 R, 109/1 R, 312/100 [51] Int. Cl A63d 5/00 [58] Field of Search 273/119 R, 119 A, 119 B, 273/121 R, 121 D, 121 E; 109/24, 1 R;

312/100, 210; 248/203; 194/1 R, 1 A, l B

2,480,568 8/1949 Garvin 312/100 UX Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Arnold W. Kramer Attorney, Agent, or FirmMark C. Jacobs [5 7 ABSTRACT Apparatus for enclosing a coin-operated pin ball ma'-- chine including a rear wall closing off the rear wall of the machine and side walls closing off the side walls thereof. The machine is closed off at the front by a hinged top wall which overlaps a hinged bottom wall so that the top wall must be unlocked before access can be had to the bottom wall. The bottom wall includes suitable openings therein for providing access to'the various operating controls of the machine. In this manner, the machine is completely enclosed and the enclosure therefore may be bolted to a supporting surface with the machine kept out-of-doors, if desired, with access to the controls readily available and vandalism thereof prevented.

9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures APPARATUS FOR ENCLOSING A COIN-OPERATED PIN BALL MACHINE OR THE LIKE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to enclosures; and, more particularly, to apparatus for enclosing coin-operated pin ball machines or the like.

2. Description of the Prior Art The use of pin ball machines or the like as a recreational activity has always been popular. However, generally such machines are used inside the place of business. This results in the users thereof, generally boys and girls of teenage or the like, gathering around the machine or machines. This is noisy and interferes with the ordinary course of business of the establishment which may not revolve around pin ball machines per se. Further, if a thief or burglar breaks into the store, he can break into the machine and steal the contents thereof unobserved.

Thus, it is desirable to have such machines outside of the store where the users cannot interfere with the customers of the store. Also, it is difficult to break into such machine when it is outside of the store and in full view of the public. However, when such machines are permanently kept outside, a certain amount of protection should be provided.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide apparatus for enclosing coin-operated pin ball machines or the like.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an enclosure for a pin ball machine or the like which secures the machine in place but permits readily conversion to use thereof.

These and other objects are preferably accomplished by providing apparatus for enclosing such machines including a rear wall closing off the rear wall of the machine and side walls closing off the side walls thereof. The machine is closed off at the front by a hinged top wall which overlaps a hinged bottom wall so that the top wall must be unlocked before access can be had to the bottom wall. The bottom wall includes suitable openings therein for providing access to the various operating controls of the machine. In this manner, the machine is completely enclosed and the enclosure therefore may be bolted to a supporting surface with the machine kept out-of-doors, if desired, with access to the controls readily available and vandalism thereof prevented.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the frame of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing, an enclosure 10 in accordance with my invention is shown enclosing therein a conventional coin-operated pin ball machine 11. Although my enclosure 10 will be described hereinbelow with respect to a particular type of pin ball machine, the concepts are adaptable to any pin ball machine with modifications as will be discussed. The enclosure 10 is adapted to be bolted to a supporting surface, such as a concrete pavement 12. This may be accomplished by drilling holes in the concrete and inserting bolts 13 therein with the threaded shafts 14 extending out and upwardly therefrom. The heads 15 are thus trapped in the concrete after filling the drilled holes with cement.

These shafts 14 extend through suitable apertures in enclosure 10 and are retained thereto by washers and nuts 16 threaded thereon. Any suitable number of bolting arrangements may be provided.

Enclosure 10 includes a pair of side walls 17 and 18 secured to a rear wall 19 and a front wall 20. Top and bottom walls 21 and 22 may also be provided, if desired, but are not necessary to my invention. Bolts 13 would thus extend through the angle irons forming the base of frame 34 (see FIG. 5). Thus, frame 34 would include spaced elongated members 34a, 34b, interconnected to spaced elongated members 34c, 34d, forming base 34. Frame 34 would also include a top wall 34" formed in like manner and interconnected at the corners to base 34" by upright members 342. Finally, suitable screws or bolts 23 may be used to secure the various walls to frame 34.

Each side wall 17 and 18 may be comprised of one or more pieces or panels with angle irons 24 extending along the edges thereof permitting walls 17 and 18 to be secured to frame 34. Although walls 17 and 18 may be of wood, such as plywood, they may also be of metal, if desired, and this is true of all the remaining walls. Metal is preferred for reasons of security but wood may also be used in one or more wall sections.

Rear wall 19 (FIG. 3) may, for example, include a top panel 25 of metal and a bottom panel 26 of wood with border angle irons 24. Front wall 20 (FIG. 2) may include a top panel 27, of wood or metal, and a bottom panel 28, preferably of metal, also bordered by suitable angle irons 24. However, as shown in FIG. 2, a hinge 29, such as a piano hinge or similar hidden hinge may be provided along one side edge of bottom panel 28. A like hinge 30 may also be provided along one side edge of top panel 27.

Thus, front wall 20 may be comprised of two panels or front doors 27, 28 similar to dutch doors with the doors 27, 28 hinging at hinges 29, 30. Of course, the position of hinges 29, 30 may be oppositely mounted so that one door opens one way and one door opens the other way. Each door 27, 28 includes a lock box or cover 31 (see also FIG. 4) covering a padlock 32 or the like so that doors 27, 28 may be locked in place. This is for protection thereof. As shown in FIG. 4, top door 27 overlaps bottom door 28 so that top door 27 must be unlocked first before bottom door 28 can be unlocked (the coin box for machine 11 is located under bottom door 28). Although locks are necessary for front doors 27, 28, all the doors or walls may include suitable lock covers 31 for protection against breakin (see end wall 19 in FIG. 3, for example).

Stiffening means (not shown) may also be associated with each door for additional protection. Further, the lower end 33 of front door 28 (see FIG. 1) may be raised above pavement surface 12 to compensate for variations in the pavement surface 12, such as highcenters thereof. The hinges 29, run the full length of the doors 27, 28 and are welded or otherwise secured to the frame 34. This makes it impossible to open doors 27, 28 at the hinged sides.

Back door 19 may include a door panel 25 covering the upper half of the back of machine 11 and bottom panel 26 may be of iron or the like and welded to frame 34 (plywood may also be used but solid iron is preferred for security reasons). Any bolts or nuts 23 that can be reached may be spot-welded, if desired, to frame 34.

Referring once again to FIGS. 2 and 3, the shooter or plunger 35 of machine 11 is shown. In order to prevent vandalism of plunger 35, as by pulling it out and standing on it, door 28 may include a suitable opening 36 therein for receiving plunger 35 extending therethrough and an arcuately-shaped guard 37 welded or otherwise secured to door 28 and encircling plunger 35. As seen in FIG. 2, guard 37 forms a trough for plunger 35 to travel therein and it is impossible to bend plunger or shooter 35. Guard 37 may be of suitable metal, such as one-half of a generally cylindrical pipe section. A flange plate 38 may be secured to the bottom of guard 37 and wall 28 for strengthening purposes.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, one or more adjusting screws 39 may be provided extending through door 25 and into abutting engagement with the rear wall 40 of machine 11. These screws 39 bear against the rear wall 40 to prevent movement of machine 11 and can be adjusted accordingly. Also as shown in FIG. 1, the front legs 41 of machine 11 rest on pavement surface 12. Adjusting screws or lug nuts 42 may be associated with bottom door 28 to engage front legs 41 and secure the machine 11 in position on surface 12. With the front door 28 holding the front of machine 11 and the adjustable screws 39 holding snug against the back or rear wall 40 of machine 11, machine 11 is held fast and cannot be tilted. This feature is important so that the scoring of machine 11 cannot be altered by shaking machine 11 as is well known in the pin ball art.

Lug nuts 42 may be bolted or otherwise secured to legs 41. Thus, interchangable front doors 20 may be necessary depending on the particular type of pin ball machine 11. Also, a suitable alarm system with means for deactivating the same may be associated with one or more of the doors in case someone tried to open the same. Lower door 28, as shown in FIG. 2, includes suitable openings therein for the various controls for operating machine 11. Thus, opening 43 may be provided for receiving coins and opening 44 may be provided for a coin return. A plurality of suitable openings 45 may also be provided for various replay buttons, reject buttons, actuating buttons, etc. Openings 47 may also be provided in side walls 17, 18 for flipper buttons or the like. It can readily be seen that, by substituting a door similar to door 28 having openings therein related to the placement of the various controls of the machine, any conventional pin ball machine may be enclosed in the teachings of my invention. Also, bottom rear wall 26 may have an aperture or opening 48 therein for receiving a plug cord 49 for plugging machine 11 into a suitable source of power.

The bottom door 28, as shown in FIG. 2, thus completely encloses the vault portion of machine 11 so access thereto cannot be had. Locks 32 secure the doors 27, 28 in place by suitable engagement with means or hasps provided on machine 11. If desired, key locks may also be provided in each cover 31 so even covers 31 cannot be easily removed. Also, if desired, conventional levelling means, such as shims or adjustable legs, may be associated with enclosure 10 for levelling the same. As discussed above, any suitable materials may be used for enclosure 10. lf metal is not used, any wood portions should preferably be weather-proof so enclosure 10 can be used out-of-doors. Metal is also preferred for fire safety of course, any wood may be fire-proofed, if desired.

Handles (not shown) may also be provided on enclosure 10 to assist in carrying the same. Suitable bolting means may be used for bolts or screws 23 so that enclosure l0'can only be assembled from the inside thereof. For example, right hand carriage bolts may be used.

Service calls would be negligible with the use of my enclosure 10 since vandalism is prevented. This would result in considerable savings in such calls and repairs. Rear door 19 may be of lesser density material than the rest of enclosure 10 since this door 19 is often removed to service machine 11.

One-eighth inch thick, 12 guage iron may be used along with inch thick all-weather plywood for enclosure 10. With normal care and maintenance, enclosure 10 will last extremely long, such as 15 or 20 years or so. Although a top wall 21 and a bottom wall 22 have been disclosed, obviously such walls may be eliminated. Only side walls 17, 18 and front walls 27, 28 and rear wall 19 are necessary (bolted or otherwise secured to frame 34) to carry out my invention. It can be seen from the foregoing that I have described apparatus for enclosing a conventional coin-operated pin ball machine whereby the playing surfaces thereof can be opened to view merely by unlocking top door 27 with all operating controls thereof accessible to the user while protecting the operating contros themselves and the coin retaining means. The apparatus cannot be vandalised and thus can be left outside eliminating traffic and noise problems.

It is to be understood that to render the apparatus more suitable for shipment, as by rail or truck, that the frame corners and doors can be bolted or otherwise attached at the point of assembly. Thus the invention is capable of being welded, riveted, bolted, or glued together, or any combination thereof, as may be desired, in any permutation of subsections.

I claim as my invention:

1. Apparatus for enclosing a coin-operated pin ball machine wherein said machine has a generally vertical rear wall, a pair of side walls, a generally horizontal playing surface and a generally vertical scoring surface and a generally vertical operating surface extending downwardly from said playing surface, said machine having leg members for supporting said machine on a support surface and said operating surface having a plurality of operating controls for controlling said pin ball machine, said apparatus comprising:

an enclosure including a generally rectangular frame enclosing said machine, a rear wall closing off the rear wall of said machine operatively connected to said frame, a pair of side walls closing off the side walls of said machine operatively connected to said frame, and a front wall closing off both the vertical scoring surface of said machine and said operating surface thereof, said front wall including a first upper wall portion hingedly connected along one vertical edge thereof to said frame and securely and removably fastened to said frame on the side opposite said hinged edge, and a lower wall portion hingedly connected along one vertical edge thereof to said frame and securely and removably fastened to said frame on the side opposite said lastmentioned hinged edge, said upper wall portion having a lower edge overlapping an upper edge of said lower wall portion and said lower wall portion having a plurality of openings therein providing access to the operating controls of said pin ball machine. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 including means associated with both said enclosure and at least some of said leg members for securing said enclosure thereto.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 including means associated with said enclosure for securing said enclosure to said support surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 including means associated with both said enclosure and said machine for maintaining said machine in a substantially steady relationship with respect to said support surface.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said operating controls of said machine includes a plunger extending generally outwardly from said operating surface; one of said plurality of openings in said lower wall portion receiving said plunger therethrough, and guard means operatively connected to said lower wall portion and encircling said plunger for guarding said plunger.

6 The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said upper and lower wall portions are securely and removably fastened to said frame by lock means associated with both said frame and said upper and lower wall portions for locking said upper and lower wall portions to said frame, and cover means associated with each of said lock means for covering each of said lock means.

7. The apparatus of claim l. wherein said machine includes a flipper button associated with each side wall thereof and the side walls of each of said side walls of said enclosure include apertures therein providing access to each of said flipper buttons.

8. An enclosure for enclosing a coin-operated pin ball machine or the like comprising:

a first pair of spaced elongated members interconnected to a second pair of elongated members forming a generally rectangular base, a second pair of spaced elongated members generally of the same length as said first pair interconnected to a second pair of elongated members forming a generally rectangular top wall of substantially the same length and width as said base, and at least four upright members securely fastened at each corner of both said base and said top wall thereby forming a generally-rectangularly box-like frame;

a pair of side walls closing off each vertical side wall of said frame;

an end wall closing off the end wall of said frame; and

a front wall closing off the front wall of said frame, said front wall including a first upper wall portion hingedly connected along one vertical edge thereof to one of the front upright members of said frame, and a lower wall portion hingedly connected along one vertical edge thereof to one of the front upright members of said frame, said upper wall portion having a lower edge overlapping an upper edge of said lower wall portion and said lower wall portion having a plurality of openings therein providing access to the interior of said frame.

9. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein said frame includes means associated with both said frame and all of said side walls, said end wall and said front wall for securing all of said side walls, said end wall and said front wall to said frame in a manner whereby access to said means is provided only from the interior of said enclosure. 

1. Apparatus for enclosing a coin-operated pin ball machine wherein said machine has a generally vertical rear wall, a pair of side walls, a generally horizontal playing surface and a generally vertical scoring surface and a generally vertical operating surface extending downwardly from said playing surface, said machine having leg members for supporting said machine on a support surface and said operating surface having a plurality of operating controls for controlling said pin ball machine, said apparatus comprising: an enclosure including a generally rectangular frame enclosing said machine, a rear wall closing off the rear wall of said machine operatively connected to said frame, a pair of side walls closing off the side walls of said machine operatively connected to said frame, and a front wall closing off both the vertical scoring surface of said machine and said operating surface thereof, said front wall including a first upper wall portion hingedly connected along one vertical edge thereof to said frame and securely and removably fastened to said frame on the side opposite said hinged edge, and a lower wall portion hingedly connected along one vertical edge thereof to said frame and securely and removably fastened to said frame on the side opposite said last-mentioned hinged edge, said upper wall portion having a lower edge overlapping an upper edge of said lower wall portion and said lower wall portion having a plurality of openings therein providing access to the operating controls of said pin ball machine.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 including means associated with both said enclosure and at least some of said leg members for securing said enclosure thereto.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 including means associated with said enclosure for securing said enclosure to said support surface.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 including means associated with both said enclosure and said machine for maintaining said machine in a substantially steady relationship with respect to said support surface.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said operating controls of said machine includes a plunger extending generally outwardly from said operating surface; oNe of said plurality of openings in said lower wall portion receiving said plunger therethrough, and guard means operatively connected to said lower wall portion and encircling said plunger for guarding said plunger.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said upper and lower wall portions are securely and removably fastened to said frame by lock means associated with both said frame and said upper and lower wall portions for locking said upper and lower wall portions to said frame, and cover means associated with each of said lock means for covering each of said lock means.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said machine includes a flipper button associated with each side wall thereof and the side walls of each of said side walls of said enclosure include apertures therein providing access to each of said flipper buttons.
 8. An enclosure for enclosing a coin-operated pin ball machine or the like comprising: a first pair of spaced elongated members interconnected to a second pair of elongated members forming a generally rectangular base, a second pair of spaced elongated members generally of the same length as said first pair interconnected to a second pair of elongated members forming a generally rectangular top wall of substantially the same length and width as said base, and at least four upright members securely fastened at each corner of both said base and said top wall thereby forming a generally-rectangularly box-like frame; a pair of side walls closing off each vertical side wall of said frame; an end wall closing off the end wall of said frame; and a front wall closing off the front wall of said frame, said front wall including a first upper wall portion hingedly connected along one vertical edge thereof to one of the front upright members of said frame, and a lower wall portion hingedly connected along one vertical edge thereof to one of the front upright members of said frame, said upper wall portion having a lower edge overlapping an upper edge of said lower wall portion and said lower wall portion having a plurality of openings therein providing access to the interior of said frame.
 9. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein said frame includes means associated with both said frame and all of said side walls, said end wall and said front wall for securing all of said side walls, said end wall and said front wall to said frame in a manner whereby access to said means is provided only from the interior of said enclosure. 